mortality

[mawr-tal-i-tee]

noun

plural

mortalities 

1. the state or condition of being subject to death; mortal character, nature, or existence.

2. the relative frequency of deaths in a specific population; death rate.

3. mortal beings collectively; humanity.

4. death or destruction on a large scale, as from war, plague, or famine.

5. Obsolete.,  death.

mortality

/ mɔːˈtælɪtɪ /

noun

1. the condition of being mortal

2. great loss of life, as in war or disaster

3. the number of deaths in a given period

4. mankind; humanity

5. an obsolete word for death

Word History and Origins

Origin of mortality¹

1300–50; Middle English mortalite < Middle French < Latin mortālitās. See mortal, -ity

Example Sentences

In a new video statement, Baroness Hallet said from August to December 2020, Wales had the "highest age standardised mortality rate of the four nations".

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On the other hand, decision making in Northern Ireland was described as "chaotic", while the Welsh government's approach resulted in the highest age-standardised mortality rate of the four nations between August and December 2020.

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But I also knew that it would compromise me in the sense that I would then suddenly be aware of my mortality.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

There were also at least 31 pups born this year to packs in California, though some have died, and mortality in general is high during the first year of life.

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The reviews found little to no difference between the drugs and placebo when looking at major cardiovascular events, mortality, or quality of life.

Read more on Science Daily

Related Words

• fatality 

When To Use

What’s the difference between mortality and morbidity?

In a medical context, the word mortality refers to relative frequency of deaths in a specific population or location (sometimes called the mortality rate), while the word morbidity refers to the incidence or prevalence of a disease in a specific population or location (sometimes called the morbidity rate).The related word cormorbidity is used in medical contexts to refer to the state of having multiple medical conditions at the same time.In this context, morbidity relates to sickness, while mortality relates to death.Both morbidity and mortality are also used in nontechnical ways. Morbidity is the noun form of the adjective morbid, which most commonly means excessively gloomy or having an unusual interest in dark subjects, like death. Morbidity, then, can be used to refer to the quality of having this interest, as in Her latest novel lacks the morbidity of her earlier works. Mortality, on the other hand, most commonly refers to the state or condition of being subject to death, as in Humans are aware of their own mortality. The opposite of this is immortality—unending life.Here’s an example of mortality and morbidity used correctly in the same sentence.Example: Studies show that while the morbidity in the region remains quite high, the mortality rate from the disease has continued to drop. Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between mortality and morbidity.